Telecommunications networks are important for providing global data and voice communication. Monitoring the networks is important to ensure reliable operation, fault detection, timely mitigation of potentially malicious activities and more. Network taps are known for connecting to networks and providing a port to monitor the communication traffic on the network.
Conventional network taps enable full-duplex monitoring of network traffic over a link, but transmit the traffic to the monitoring device in two half-duplex streams, requiring specialized hardware to monitor both sides of the conversation. While this technique is useful, it does not provide full-duplex monitoring and communication, which would be extremely helpful. What's more, conventional network taps do not provide a mechanism for monitors to alert network other devices through the network. Rather, conventional network taps require that the monitoring equipment communicate with other network devices via separate communications channels. This is often a problem when other network devices are located far away from a monitor.
Consequently, there is need for an improved network tap that supports full-duplex monitoring and communication.